About Me

I'm a woman, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend, an artist, a dreamer, a dancer, a sewist, a knitting wannabe, a coffee addict, white wine lover, a book lover, a chauffeur, a personal chef for a family of five, a sometimes diva, a joker, a little sarcastic, a little sensitive, a little wild, a little free...just a girl. Just me.
So what is this blog all about? It's about making a life for me and mine. It's a little sewy, knitty, cooky, decoraty way for me to share all my creative endeavors. All the attempts,the successes and the failures. Come along for the ride!

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Sunday, March 1, 2009

Every since rediscovered my sewing hobby shortly after having my first child almost fourteen years ago, I have wanted an Elna. You see when I began to want to sew again, I shortly realized that it might be fun and beneficial to take a class. It would get me out of the house for a few hours every week and teach me some forgotten skills. It did both. I used a school owned Elna. It wasn't fancy to say the least, but it was a great little machine and I wished I had asked about purchasing it when the shop closed. Every since sewing on that machine...oh let me add here that sewing is so much more pleasurable on a machine that performs well, even if it's as basic as my school Elna was, I've wanted to own an Elna. They are Swiss made, and the old sewers who own them hang onto them because they are great stitchers. So, from time to time I would do a search on ebay and Craigslist trying to find one to make my very own. Finally a few months ago I located one outside of Richmond, Va. I don't live in Richmond. But, it seemed close enough in my estimation. I contacted the seller, we negotiated what I thought was a bargain price, one final question...does it stitch. Come to find out she couldn't get it to stitch...she didn't know why. Not to be daunted and somewhat of a machine hobbyist, I said I would still get the machine. She said she couldn't imagine selling it since she couldn't get it to work, but that I could have it for free...I was ecstatic. Anyway...now to get it picked up. Mister said he would go get it for me, but I was able to get my friend, D. to go get it since she was just 45 mins or so away. It resided at her home for the next 3 months until we were able to get together for the Mid Atlantic Quilt Show and she could pass it off to me. Lucky for me she doesn't have the jones for vintage machines that I do because it's a beauty. Anyway...finally last night I was able to get it home and take a look at it. At first I too was daunted that I couldn't get the light to come on, let alone get the machine to power up. Could it be a loose connection. I took apart the foot pedal. Everything looked great there. I took apart the machines power inlet...looking good. Now to take the top off the machine. Except wait, maybe if I actually plug the machine into the wall it just might work...eureka! We have power, and guess what it works. It works great, it's perfect. I cleaned out some linties and oiled her up and she purrs like a kitten. Best of all, the owner had all the manuals, attachments and tons of extra bobbins. I can't believe my good fortune. She told me the original owner had been the postal matron in Lukenbach, Texas...I grew up in Texas. It's as if this machine found it's way back to a Texan at last! I'm on cloud nine!

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comments:

Oh! I enjoyed the story tremendously. It is a beautiful machine. And you are so right . . . I have an old Singer which is really hard to use. And as a beginner, it is just downright frustrating. One thing I've learned as a craftsperson is the better the tools, the better the product and the more enjoyable the the process. I really ought to take a sewing class and then hopefully, I'll luck out and score a machine too. :) Lucky you!! Enjoy!!

Isn't she lovely? Chi Chi you have to get yourself a better machine and a good sewing book, sewing should be frustrating. Let me know if I can make some recommendation for you. Better yet, come p/u one of my extra machines.